


Alive & Kissing

by Bellflower



Category: Samurai Warriors (Video Games)
Genre: Community: trope_bingo, Draws from the fourth mainline game's portrayals, M/M, Mild Dark Humour, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:47:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23882539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bellflower/pseuds/Bellflower
Summary: “Yeah yeah, look... I've had an idea for a celebration. If I closed my eyes, would you pull your face-cloth down? Just for a moment.”
Relationships: Ootani Yoshitsugu/Toudou Takatora
Kudos: 17
Collections: Trope Bingo: Round Fourteen





	Alive & Kissing

**Author's Note:**

> For trope bingo, round 14, and the 'celebratory kiss' square in my bingo card.

It was exhilarating, being alive after that. Takatora was tired, injured and sore, the pain had been horrible and no battle left him without the scars on the inside every soldier took but he _made it through_. Against all odds. That was what Lord Nagamasa called the most honourable thing of all, even if most in their land disagreed, and those words had affected him so deeply that they'd come to feel like armour. A foolish feeling, to be sure, and there was no way Takatora would ever admit it to anyone out loud, but it remained true in his heart.

So surviving was, therefore, worthy of celebration. 

“Stop moving.” Yoshitsugu poked him lightly in his (thankfully uninjured) shoulder. “Unless you want my efforts at tender care to go horribly wrong?”

“You talk as if it's ever tender,” Takatora replied, with a light snort. “Nobody else would want to deal with your horrendous bedside manner.”

“Should I question your willingness to let me do this, then? Perhaps I should stop, for your own good.”

“Just get on with it, Yoshitsugu.”

Despite the nature of the conversation Takatora was smiling as they talked because while anyone listening in might think they were having some kind of argument this was normal for them. Familiar and good. They _got_ one another, always had, and the banter was just a part of that strange but warming bond. 

Didn't stop Yoshitsugu from going a bit too far sometimes, but never enough to leave proper harm.

“Maybe next time you could avoid getting hit,” Yoshitsugu continued, though he did get back to finishing his task and rather gently rebinding the final wound. “If you carry on like this you'll be covered with scars from head to toe before you die. I suppose you would make an interesting corpse, at least?”

...and that right there was a good example of going a 'bit too far.' It was hardly the appropriate time for that shade of dark humour, was it? Takatora glared down at Yoshitsugu who, in turn, completely ignored the expression and carried on with what he was doing. That reaction should have annoyed further but it didn't. Not really. Wasn't like his companion was acting any different than usual. Joking about death was par for course and, well, wasn't it wonderful that Yoshitsugu too had made it through to make those jokes? Alive and breathing, a vision of unquestionable beauty that could continue to be as inappropriate and strange as always.

Takatora glanced down at the face-cloth his dear friend wore and felt a familiar urge. It was one he had never acted on before, but in a moment like this, full of the brief but potent joy of survival, the courage was finally there. 

“Hey, Yoshitsugu,” he said, in a much softer manner than usual. “You're done now, right?”

“Does it look like I am?”

“Yeah yeah, look... I've had an idea for a celebration. If I closed my eyes, would you pull your face-cloth down? Just for a moment.”

“Interesting timing for a celebration.” Yoshitsugu peered up at him, grey eyes narrowed in (obviously fake) suspicion, and dropped his hands from the freshly bandaged wound. “Go on then.”

Permission, huh. Takatora closed his eyes and waited for a handful of seconds before reaching out to touch Yoshitsugu's face; his fingers shook a little as he pressed their tips against the soft skin that was usually hidden from view. He wanted to see it as well as feel it, more painfully than he could ever express, but didn't take the unforgivable peek. Instead he slid his hand around to cup the back of Yoshitsugu's head, going slow to enjoy the feel of the silky hair beneath his palm for as long as possible, and then, after one deep breath that helped him find the touch more courage he needed, leaned in for the kiss.

There was no commentary, no interruptions. Takatora had almost expected either, considering who the person he loved _was_ , and he wouldn't have been angry about them had they happened. Disappointed, yes, and a little heartbroken, but not angry. Instead their lips touched and Yoshitsugu made a soft, encouraging sound in the back of his throat which sent the most amazing kind of adrenalin through Takatora's body. Alive, alive, they were alive and close, _together_ ; he gripped a little tighter and pressed the kiss deeper, confidence building with every response his beloved friend made. 

If 'friend' alone was the right descriptor when they were doing things like this. Wasn't like it was some jump for them though, was it? Not really. Could have happened at any time if Takatora had felt braver... it was just like Yoshitsugu to wait. He'd probably say something about leaving things to the 'flow.'

“That's your celebration?” The attempt at a dry tone was ruined a little this time, Yoshitsugu's voice betraying something warmer once they parted for air. “Seems the flow is--”

Yeah, on cue, there it was. Takatora kissed him again. He'd not really thought this celebration through beyond the first kiss but more of them seemed like a good plan, especially when Yoshitsugu huffed a laugh in the back of his throat and grabbed onto an uninjured patch of Takatora's arm, tugging him in closer.

Soon enough he'd have to open his eyes again, bringing this to an end, but for the moment Takatora would enjoy the party for two... and maybe the goddamn flow would ensure they could do this after every battle that lay in their future.

**Author's Note:**

> The flow was, unfortunately, a bastard.


End file.
